Canning fruits and vegetables (even eggs) is an affordable way to extend the season and expiration dates on your favorite foods. Foods canned at home are also far more nutritious and full of taste than store bought canned goods. Plus, canned goods can make excellent holiday gifts!

Let’s start with the canned gifts, because those are pretty cool. Veggie medleys and fruit jams, jellies and preserves are all particularly great for gifting at the holidays because these canning choices enable you to fill pretty jars with vibrant red and green colors in celebration of the season. An easy way to decorate your ball jars is to simply cut a round piece of holiday themed material or maybe a small red check material and then tie it on your lids with twine or yarn. Lace is lovely too!

Fruits, such as berries, peaches and oranges, are all great for canning in the form of jellies, jams, preserves, as well as plain old dices or slices for pies, ice cream topping and snacking. If we’re talking great canned fruit products, don’t forget the apple butter!

Vegetables, such as green beans, lima beans, corn, carrots, pumpkin, mushrooms, cauliflower and sweet and hot peppers are all excellent choices for canning as well. Can tomatoes whole, diced or pureed.

Then there is pickling to add to your canning list. You can pickle cucumbers, beets, okra and eggs…just to name a few! And if you relish canning, try some eggplant caponata, corn relish and pepper relish while you’re at it!

So get your can on, and keep baking those delicious pies, spreading those mouthwatering preserves on your freshly baked dinner rolls and enjoying seasonal vegetables way passed the season!